Finding Salvation
by GorillazObsessor
Summary: Murdoc has been on the run from the Boogieman far too long. He's old. He's tired. He's a waste of good air, and he knows it. So he's decided to finally give in, to pay his indebted soul to Satan and end this once and for all. However, this isn't going to be easy if the rest of the band has anything to say about it. Can they come up with a way to save Murdoc from Hell itself?
1. Chapter 1: The Glass Bottle

**Chapter 1: The Glass Bottle**

2D was laying on his bed, guitar in his arms. He plucked a few lazy notes, nodding his head in time with the music.

"I'm 2D, mmm," he sang, his eyes closed as he let himself go in the song. "Won't you buy me, mmm..."

He hummed, opening his eyes to look down at his fingers plucking the strings.

"Narcissist," came a sneer from his doorway. 2D stopped his playing and looked up to see Murdoc smirking at him, that ever-present mean glint in his eye.

"Huh?" 2D replied. He wrinkled his nose slightly at the stench of alcohol, worried that he could smell it from all the way from there.

"Singing a song about ourselves, are we?" Murdoc said, raising an eyebrow. His words were severely slurred. 2D stared at him blankly, and Murdoc nodded at the guitar in his arms for emphasis.

2D's expression turned into one of confusion.

"But Murdoc," he said, "You have a song called 'Murdoc is God'..."

Murdoc blinked, his eyes focusing on a point over 2D's shoulder for a moment as his incapacitated mind sorted out what 2D was saying. Then his lips turned into a snarl and he threw the empty bottle in his hand at 2D. The singer ducked just in time, glass exploding on the wall behind him. He felt a few shards sting him as they bounced off the wall and cut his bare neck and shoulder.

When 2D opened his eyes and uncurled himself from his brace position, Murdoc was gone. 2D sighed and gingerly got up from his bed, turning around to survey the damage. Shards of glass were scattered all over his bed, and a few tinier pieces were embedded in the wall. But of course, Murdoc hadn't wasted a single drop of alcohol. The bottle had been dry as a desert when Murdoc threw it.

He wordlessly began the tedious process of cleaning it up. 2D wasn't one for tidying up (quite the opposite, really), but he couldn't sleep on glass.

"2D?" he heard Noodle calling from the hallway. A moment later, she poked her head into his room. As soon as she saw the mess, she paused and raised a slow eyebrow at 2D.

"It wasn't me, I swear," he said, and Noodle rolled her eyes and gave him a smile.

"I believe you," she said, "It was Murdoc, right? I just passed him in the hall. He's been getting more violent lately," She added. "I wonder if all the guilt is starting to catch up with him."

2D wasn't sure what Noodle meant. Murdoc had an endless list of horrible things he'd done that would make any normal person cringe with guilt, but in all the years 2D had known him, Murdoc had never even hinted to feeling bad about any of it. All the way from the early 90's, starting with knocking 2D into a coma and turning one of his eyes black, to a couple years ago, replacing Noodle with a cyborg and kidnapping 2D just to make more music, presumably to make more money.

And in all that time, he hadn't said a single apology, not to anyone.

Could Noodle be right? Had it all finally started to sink in for Murdoc? Was he finally starting to feel things like regret and guilt? 2D doubted it. The bassist was always this snappy.

"2D?" asked Noodle, snapping her fingers in front of her eyes.

2D blinked and continued wordlessly cleaning up the glass.

"What are you thinking about?" she whispered, taking a seat on the floor. Her long, slender legs curled up underneath her and she hugged the leg of 2D's bed. 2D smiled down at her, memories of a smaller Noodle flooding into his mind. She may be an adult now, but he would never forget the little pipsqueak she used to be.

"Nothing," replied 2D.

Usually, this answer was good enough for anyone who ever asked that kind of question. People just assumed because 2D wasn't the brightest crayon in the box that he was like some sort of empty shell, devoid of feelings and incapable of processing life around him. 2D knew he wasn't that smart, but he liked to think that instead of logic or facts in his brain, he had something far more valuable. Something like music, a thing that can't really be explained, but managed to explain everything.

Truth was, there was a lot going on in 2D's mind. Things like the sunsets in California and the stupidity of today's top "artists" and Plastic Beach and Kong Studios and everything.

Everything. Always.

It certainly added to his constant migraines.

"2D, are you bleeding?" asked Noodle suddenly. 2D blinked and slowly reached his hand up to his neck. Noodle stopped him, "Wait! Don't touch it. It might be the glass. Here, let me help."

Noodle told him to stay put as she retrieved the first aid kit from the bathroom. Then she sat him down and took a pair of tweasers to his neck and shoulder, carefully picking out the bits of glass. 2D winced with each removal, his eyes squinting in pain. But he stayed silent, his dark eyes like two voids as he let his thoughts drift.

"Stupid Murdoc," he heard Noodle growl under her breath. She apologized to him, but before he could ask why, she quickly dug into one of the small wounds and retrieved the biggest piece of glass from his shoulder. It was only the size of a fingernail trimming, but 2D let out a cry of pain and jerked away from her, his hand flying protectively to the wounded area.

"I'm sorry, Toochi," said Noodle, eyeing him with sympathy. "That was the biggest piece, I promise the others won't hurt that bad."

2D reluctantly sat back down and allowed Noodle to pull the rest of the glass out of his flesh. After it was over, she wiped the small amount of blood away from his cuts and pressed bandages onto the bigger ones.

"Thank you, Noodle," he said, offering her a bright smile. Her face softened from the concentrated look it had held, and she gave him a gentle hug, careful not to touch his shoulder.

"It shouldn't have happened in the first place," she said with a sigh. "What did he even get mad about?"

2D explained what happened and Noodle gritted her teeth.

"He threw a glass bottle at you for _that_?" she hissed out, glaring down at the cuts Murdoc had created. Then, she seemed to decide something. "I'm going to go have a talk with him."

2D didn't like that idea. He knew that if Murdoc had gotten mad enough to throw a glass bottle at him for essentially calling him a hypocrite, he'd probably be furious at being told off by Noodle.

It wasn't like Murdoc would hurt Noodle. He might be evil enough to hit girls, but Noodle wouldn't ever let him lay a finger on her. She was small and slight, but he was still no match for her pure skill, and it wasn't one of Murdoc's hobbies to make himself look like an idiot.

Murdoc also wouldn't ever touch Russel, for obvious reasons. Even if he hadn't eaten that radioactive seaweed and wasn't the size of a house, Murdoc still wouldn't be able to take him.

So the only person left for Murdoc to take his constant anger out on was 2D himself. As soon as Noodle was done berating him for throwing glass at 2D, the bassist would come right back to his room and beat the living daylights out of him.

"Please don't," said 2D in response to Noodle's statement. "It's fine, really. I just need to finish cleaning up, and then it'll be like it never happened."

He even smiled, going over to his bed to sweep the shards from his covers for emphasis. When he turned around to see if he'd convinced Noodle, he paused. She was looking at him with the strangest expression. She seemed sad, but also a bit angry. 2D blinked in surprise, straightening his back and tilting his head in confusion.

"What's wrong, love?" he said, walking back over to her. She sighed heavily and glared at the floor, closing her eyes. After a second she looked back at him, her eyes kinder, soft.

"Nothing, Toochi," she said. "Don't worry, I won't yell at him."

She gave him another hug, then left 2D to his thoughts.

After he finished cleaning up, he sat back on his bed and picked up his guitar once more. As he strummed, he wondered what was going to happen to them all. The band had left Plastic Beach behind, and now lived in an apartment in London. It'd been a while since they made any music, and 2D was admittedly not sure at all what would become of them.

Maybe they'd just lie low for a while. Considering everything that had happened to them as of late, maybe they'd earned a break.

Little did they know, their little break wasn't going to last much longer.


	2. Chapter 2: Murdoc's Secret

**Chapter 2: Murdoc's Secret**

When 2D's eyes opened the next morning, Noodle was waiting for him.

She stood at the foot of his bed, perched like a delicate bird itching to fly. When he stirred, her head snapped toward him, and her posture softened.

"Morning, 2D," she greeted with a warm smile.

"Noodle?" he mumbled groggily, sitting up and rubbing his eyes, yawning into his next words. "What're you doing there?"

Noodle's gaze dropped to the floor and she bit her lip, seemingly nervous about something. 2D urged her to continue with a slight raise of his eyebrows and a soft, "Hm?"

"It's Murdoc," she began, looking back up at 2D. "He's... Well, it's hard to explain. I have to talk to you and Russel. Can you meet me in the kitchen?"

Confused, but intrigued, 2D just nodded. Noodle left him to get ready. As he brushed his teeth, he pondered over what Noodle meant. But he wasn't going to figure anything out by sitting up here thinking about it. So after vacating his bladder and getting dressed, he made his way downstairs.

Russel and Noodle were already waiting for him in the kitchen. Well, Russel wasn't exactly _inside _of the kitchen. He was outside, standing in their driveway, his head poking in through the kitchen's window. He was still too big to fit inside their house, but he was getting better. He had slowly been shrinking back to normal size now that the radioactive seaweed he'd ingested back at Plastic Beach was finally leaving his system. It had taken two years, but he was significantly smaller than he had been back then.

Russel looked as confused as 2D did, and Noodle's shoulders hunched with the weight of the knowledge she was about to pass on to them. She'd said it was about Murdoc...

"Have a seat," she said gently, pulling up a chair politely for 2D. She walked around to the opposite side of the table to look at the two members of their band, two members of her family. 2D was in his chair, Russel's head was poking in through the window, both waiting for her to speak. They needed to know.

She took a deep breath and began her story.

"Last night," she said, "I went to talk to Murdoc."

2D perked up and tried to meet her eyes, but Noodle refused. They both knew she'd lied to him now, but she pressed on, saving that minor apology for another time.

"He'd attacked 2D earlier that day," she continued, "He's been doing that for years, so you'd think it was nothing new. But I thought he'd been getting better with that. For the past couple of years, it had only been a bit of pushing and name-calling, no more tripping him so he'd fall down the stairs or burning him with cigarettes. Until last night." Noodle looks at Russel to explain. "He threw a glass bottle at him."

Russel hisses in disapproval through his teeth and glances at 2D in sympathy. Then his features harden and he looks back at Noodle.

"You give him what for?" he said, not bothering to hide his anger at their bassist.

"I tried to," said Noodle, "I'm sorry, 2D, but I had to ask him what was going on. I knew something was up with him. He hadn't been that mean in such a long time, and-" she stops herself, folding her arms and glancing at her feet with a worried look.

"And what?" 2D urged gently, hating to see her distressed.

"He was drunk, so it wasn't hard getting him to talk," Noodle pauses for a moment, then looks back at her two bandmates. "He told me he doesn't have much time left."

All sound seems to fade from the world. Russel sat back on his bum, exhaling a deep sigh, already stressed from this new knowledge.

"Oh man..." Russel muttered.

But 2D only leaned in, he needed to know exactly what Noodle meant. He wasn't understanding her correctly. Okay, nevermind, he _was_, and that's what scared him. He knew _exactly _what she meant, but it still made no sense to him.

"Wot d'you mean he doesn't got much time left?" he said slowly, not daring to blink for fear he'd miss a crucial giveaway in Noodle's eyes.

Noodle decided to be blunt.

"He's going to die soon, 2D," she explained.

But 2D wasn't having any of that. "What's that supposed to mean? Does he have cancer or something? Is his liver bad? We'll find him a new one!"

"Calm down, 2D," Noodle said quickly, putting a reassuring hand on his uninjured shoulder and gently pushing him back into his seat. 2D blinked. When had he stood up?

"It's nothing like that," she explained, "He's... Well, you all know what he did for this band. A long time ago, he sold his soul to Satan. He signed a contract in his blood stating that after a certain amount of time, he'd have to make his payment. That time's come and gone. He's already been running from it for years. The Boogieman, that creature with the mask for a face who keeps following us around... He's been sent to collect Murdoc's debt."

It was quiet again. Russel held a staring contest with a raven perched outside in a tree, silently shaking his head and looking... sad? Angry? 2D couldn't tell. Noodle finally sat down, and hunched over in her chair, her folded arms seeming to hold in her heart as her feelings caught up with what she'd been saying.

"He's been waiting for this," she continued, her voice cracking, "All these years, he's been throwing it under the carpet... And now, he's finally decided to give in."

2D surprised them all by standing once more, knocking his chair to the ground from the force of it.

"No."

Noodle and Russel exchanged a glance, then looked back at the singer.

"No what?" asked Russel.

"We're not going to let this happen," said 2D. "If I was in debt you guys would help me out, right? I'd do the same for you, we all would. So why can't we help him out?"

Noodle and Russel looked at each other again, but this time they both looked... what? Sorry? Sympathetic? Whatever it was, 2D didn't like it. He might be a bit of a dolt, but what did they know that he didn't?

"Toochi..." Noodle started, sounding hesitant, "I know how this looks. But it's not the same as paying a car dealer back for a loan. Whatever this is, it's beyond our control."

"Yeah, man," added Russel, "He's a Satanist, for Christ's sake! I mean, he's probably gotten into all kinds of trouble we wouldn't understand. And now it's finally... it's all finally caught up with him. You can't just break deals with the Devil, man. Everybody knows that."

"So, what? Is that it? We're just going to let him die?" said 2D, earning stares from his mates. He was rarely this animated, much less this _angry_ about... well, anything. It must have been strange for them. He knew he should calm down, but this was serious! This was literally a matter of life and death. Why _shouldn't _he be this animated?

"2D, you know we don't want this," said Noodle. The pain in her voice made 2D calm down a bit, but he was still on edge. "There's just not much we can do. In fact, I doubt there's anything we can do but keep running away from it, and Murdoc himself said he was ready to give up, ready to stop running..."

2D hadn't seen Noodle cry in years. She used to whine all the time and cry if she fell down and hurt herself, just like any little girl. But the years and her own demons had taken their toll on the girl. That, coupled with being an adult now... she just didn't cry too much anymore.

But she was doing it now. Not sobbing, really. A few gentle tears spilled out of her eyes and down her fair cheeks, dripping onto the table in front of her. She wiped her eyes and looked away, not exactly embarrassed, but not exactly wanting to show off her tears to the boys either.

"He's chosing this for himself," she said, her voice barely above a fragile little whisper.

At this, 2D's rare anger drained, and he slumped back into his chair. He reached across the table and took Noodle's hand. He glanced over to Russel, who was still just staring at things, shaking his head like he couldn't believe what was happening, but also like he knew it had been coming.

2D decided he would be the one to speak. He took a deep breath and squeezed Noodle's hand, making her look up from the table.

"Then we'll just have to make him choose differently, won't we?"


	3. Chapter 3: The Three-Step Process

**Chapter 3: The Three-Step Plan/ Poison**

All was quiet in the kitchen. 2D's words seemed to cheer Noodle up, but he could see that as soon as she thought about it, she realized it was hopeless. Noodle was built to solve problems, to be precise and skilled in everything she needed to be. It was pure logic that reminded her that there were few, if any, solutions to this type of problem. 2D's inspiring words dissolved like sugar in water, leaving Noodle feeling even more drained than she'd already felt.

"What can we do, 'D?" said Russel gently, heaving a sigh. "Even if we found a way to help him, what makes you think he'd accept it? This is Murdoc we're talkin' about here. 'I'm-the-center-of-the-world-and-I-can-do-everything-by-myself-Murdoc.' He ain't gonna let us do nothin' for him, no matter how much we want to."

"Then that'll be Step One," said 2D matter-of-factly, standing up to grab a scrap of paper and pen from a drawer in the next room over. He brought it back to the table, angling it so both Russel and Noodle could see. In big, sloppy letters he wrote: Step One: Persuade Murdoc.

"First, we got to get him on our side," 2D explained. "We'll convince him to not give up. Then, for Step Two, we just... er... well..."

Noodle watched as 2D struggled with the second step. He had no idea where to begin, but he didn't look nervous. In fact, it only looked like he was just solving a problem in his head. Like he was working out a hard puzzle.

2D wasn't exactly magnificent at solving puzzles.

There was something else in his eyes, something that made a slow smile spread across her face. Hope, maybe. Defiance. Something that told her that 2D was not about to give up on anyone, that he truly believed there was a solution to this problem. If only he could find it...

Noodle was all about solving puzzles.

"Step Two," said Noodle, "We research."

"Research?" both 2D and Russel said at the same time. Russel was looking at her with confusion, wondering where her sudden answer had come from. 2D was smiling brightly, as if he knew all along Noodle would come to her senses. He scribble down Step Two.

"We'll need to know what we're going up against," she said simply, "What can be done to reverse the contract, if anything. If not, we'll have to figure out how we're going to fight back."

"That's Step Three," said Russel, seeing the confidence in Noodle's eyes. The singer and guitarist both shot smiles at him. "We fight back. 2D's right, we can't let him take our bassist. We're more than a band now. We're a family. We've gone through all kinds of shit over the years, this is just one more phase."

2D was brimming with confidence, his wide grin stretched across his face. A few minutes ago he seemed to be the only one that thought they could save Murdoc. Now, his best mates were behind him. They'd come up with a plan that just might work, once they get down to the details. 2D looked down at his notes, going over what he'd written.

Step One: Persuade Murdoc

Step Two: Research

He added: Step Three: Fight Back.

2D smiled, nodding. It was a good plan, really. Just... at the end there. There was something off about that. Something that sounded dangerous, impossible. It was then 2D realised exactly what was meant by fighting back. He said nothing out loud (Noodle and Russel's confidence in this plan was fragile enough already), but he couldn't help but worry about it.

Fighting back meant that they were going to be fighting against Satan himself.

* * *

Poison, that's what he was.

Murdoc Faust Niccals sat brooding within the empty abyss of his bedroom. He could look in any direction and see nothing but darkness, and if he preferred it that way. He knew just why, too. His days were numbered, the pure evil slowly icing over his very soul was closing in. Soon, it would belong to Satan himself, to devour or whatever else he did with his spare souls.

It wasn't human to have a desire to be surrounded by darkness, and Murdoc Faust Niccals was now more than ever - anything but human.

Murdoc took a generous swig of his "1998 Veuve Clicquot La Grande Dame." Whatever the fuck that was supposed to be. All he knew was that it cost him a pretty penny, and it tasted too light and warm for him. Like maybe something the dullard would drink if he cared for expensive alcohol.

Well, at least he'd go out with style. The Great Murdoc Niccals, living the life of luxury with the world's biggest idiot, a messed up Japanese ninja girl, and a fat lard who was literally too big to even enter the house.

Who was he kidding, anyway? This wasn't luxury, this was avoiding the inevitable, running from the truth. He was hiding like a coward and everyone would come to this conclusion sooner or later. If his name went down in history at all, it wouldn't be in the story of his greatness, but in the story of his downfall.

Murdoc leaned forward in his throne of a chair, burying his face in his hands and heaving a very tired sigh. Then he winced as he accidentally clawed his face with his nails. Elbows on his knees, he pulled his hands away to observe them. Long, spidery fingers wiggled at his command. The nails at the ends were long and chipped, yellow and probably riddled with filth. If he scratched at someone, they might not die from the cut, but perhaps the infection that set in.

The way his fingernails always grew with inhuman speed and ruggedness. The way his skin darkened into a sickly green color in the sun. The sharpness of his teeth, the length of his tongue, the greasiness of his hair...

He'd become a monster over the years. A demon from hell. A spawn of the Devil himself.

It was this thought that sparked the numerous other self-hating ones that followed.

All he'd ever done with his life was use others for his own gain. Whether it be abusing them to vent his frustrations, kidnapping them for their musical talents, or replacing them with a robot to be his bodyguard, he always seemed to be doing the wrong thing.

And he'd done all that within the confines of his own band. Three people that considered him part of their messed up little family.

Murdoc scoffed bitterly. Demons have no family. They didn't deserve them.

Murdoc snapped out of it, realizing that all he'd been doing for the past hour or so was mope about how shoddy his life's been. Well, he guessed, some of it was true. He'd die before admitting it to anyone (hey, he might be in quite a sorry state, but he still had his dignity, thank you very much) but he did feel remorseful for his actions.

The bruises and scratches and cuts he'd left on 2D's pale, fragile skin gave him chills to think about. Sure, the dullard was more clumsy than a baby deer, and he'd been the cause of plenty of injuries to himself on his own, but that didn't make it okay to beat the crap out of him for no real reason.

He'd abused Russel as well, though the man was pretty tough. He'd never once called him a good word. He'd even used a sodding thesaurus to discover synonyms for the word "fat."

And Noodle... Satan, what he'd done to her. He'd raised her, along with 2D and Russel, from when the girl was just a wee little thing. And again, though he'd never admit it to anyone but himself, he did have a soft spot for her. She was the closest thing to a legitimate child that Murdoc would ever have, and he'd insulted her beyond repair back on Plastic Beach. He'd downright replaced her with an unfeeling, uncaring robot version of herself.

He would never forget the look on her face when she first saw the cyborg. That instant when she'd learned it was Murdoc who made her, who called her things like "doll" and "love" and once or twice even called it "Noodle."

The real Noodle, with her bruised face and eyes that had already seen too much, had simply bit her lip to keep her tears in. She'd shaken her head slowly at Murdoc and turned away. It had taken months for her to even so much as acknowledge his existence again.

A knock on Murdoc's distant door shook him from his thoughts. He stood up and brushed himself off, leaving his throne and heavy, true feelings behind.


	4. Chapter 4: Under Siege

**Chapter 4: Under Siege**

Murdoc opened his door to see a little blue-haired dullard waiting for him.

"'Ello!" 2D said cheerfully, waving politely as if he _wasn't _talking to the man who'd thrown glass at him last night.

Murdoc took one look at him with a blank face, and shut the door.

"Aw, come on, Muds!" 2D pouted, grabbing the knob and trying to turn it. It was already locked. "I jus' wanted to talk to ya. Open up!"

Murdoc leaned against the unseen wall beside his bedroom door, willing the idiot to leave him be. His time left on this Earth was limited, and he was not about to spend any of it with the blue-haired ponce.

He waited until 2D stopped knocking, and then grabbed the doorknob silently, about to open the door to see if he was still there. Before he could, he heard a soft mumble, and withdrew his hand as if the knob had burned him. But what was the singer saying? Murdoc pressed a pointed ear against the door, curious.

"... sorry that this is happening to you," he heard 2D say, sounding rather sad suddenly, "Noodle told us everything. I jus' wanted to help."

What was he talking about? What had Noodle told him?

Suddenly, it clicked, and he realized what Noodle must have squeezed out of him last night when he was too hammered to care.

He should have been angry. He should have been shaking with rage that Noodle, usually a trustworthy girl, had spilled his secrets to the rest of his band as soon as she'd obtained them. But somehow, he didn't feel angry. Not in the slightest. In fact, he felt rather dull about the whole thing. Hopeless. Maybe it had something to do with the fact that he was going to die soon, his soul forever belonging to the epitome of evil itself.

Yeah, that was probably it.

"Leave it be, face-ache," he said, still not opening the door. "I'm beyond anyone's help now. Any day now, he'll come for me. Hey, and it's about time, don't you think?"

Silence. _Huh_, thought Murdoc. Maybe the little dullard hadn't heard him. He was probably already long gone. He gave a half-arsed shrug and turned away from the door to continue his brooding.

"That's not true."

Murdoc's ears pricked up and turned back to the door.

"What was that?" he asked.

"That's not true," 2D repeated, a bit louder so Murdoc could hear, "It's not 'about time.' It'll never be 'about time' for that. I don't think you realize how important you are to us, Murdoc. We need you, and we're perfectly happy to admit it. All it's 'about time' for, is for you to admit you need us just as much."

Murdoc was winded. He'd never heard 2D give such a speech before. He didn't know he _could _give such a speech. He thought he'd knocked all reason and sense out of 2D a long time ago, with the front of his car. He thought that had faded away just like the color in his eyes. He thought he'd taken that away from him.

Apparently he was wrong.

"Murdoc?" asked 2D.

Too long. He'd been quiet too long, and now the silence was awkward. But what could he say to that? What could he possibly say?

"Er, so what are you saying, 2D?" he began, "I don't understand." But he did understand. He _did_.

2D answered anyways. "We're going to help you," he said, "Me, Russ, and Noodle. We're not going to let him take you away from us."

Murdoc almost laughed. Not to make fun of 2D, but because what he was saying was insane. It amused him to think his band thought he had a choice.

"2D, there's nothing you can do," he explained. "Satan is the Lord, he's far more powerful than any of us. It's not like I don't appreciate you trying, mate, but it's an impossible task. You're setting yourself up for disappointment."

Murdoc kept the door closed, even though it was a bit awkward since he was having a conversation through it. The door reminded him that he was right. That 2D and Noodle and Russel couldn't save him, because they were on the other side of the door. They might as well be in a whole different world. They were still human, still good. Their souls still belonged to them. Murdoc couldn't have any of those things anymore. His door had to stay shut, both to keep him in, and to keep all the good things out.

"Murdoc-"

"Go away, face-ache," said Murdoc, making sure the lock on his door was turned up.

"No, not until you come out here," said 2D. Murdoc could imagine the soft little pout on his face, and for some reason this made him angry.

"I said leave me be!" he yelled, kicking the door.

There was another long moment of silence before 2D responded.

"I meant it, Murdoc," he said seriously, "I'm not leaving."

"Fine, then stay there. I don't care!" Murdoc yelled, "But I'm not coming out. You don't understand any of this, and you shouldn't try to! I'm not leaving this room until you get that through your thick, _stupid _skull!"

"That's alright," came 2D's cheerful voice from beyond the door, "You'll have to come out eventually."

Murdoc growled in annoyance. He wished he could swing that door open and strangle the blue-haired dullard, but that was just what 2D wanted. He was taunting him to make him come out, and he was not about to let that _blithering idiot _get his way.

"Yeah, well," he said, "_You _have to sleep eventually! So there!"

2D, on the other side of the door, smiled triumphantly. He'd officially lain siege to Murdoc's bedroom, just like he'd planned.

* * *

Russel lay relaxed on top of the roof, staring up at the stars. It was the only place he could sleep where he could stretch out and not have to worry about violating traffic laws. He'd been staring at the night sky for hours, his mind turning as he thought about the band's new mission.

There was a large part of him (which was really saying something, considering his size) that didn't think it would work. He wouldn't ever say that to 2D's face, of course. The singer's whole world had brightened once he'd seen his band members had his back. And it's not like he wasn't going to help. He really would, to the best of his ability, try to save Murdoc Niccals from the clutches of the Devil himself.

He just... didn't believe it was possible.

With a groan, Russel carefully heaved himself up off the roof and began the careful climb down to Noodle's room. Both her room and 2D's had balconies he could perch on, if he wanted to talk to them. As far as Russel could tell, Murdoc's room didn't have a window, and therefore needed no balcony.

Eventually, he landed gently on Noodle's balcony and politely knocked on her window. A few moments later, Noodle opened the sliding door. She greeted him with a warm smile and a tight hug. They'd grown closer since Plastic Beach, and that would never really go away.

"You found anything yet, babygirl?" asked Russel, referring to Step Two of their plan. She'd been typing away on her laptop for almost two nights straight now.

"Yes, I..." she hesitated. She disappeared into her room. When she returned, she held a laptop computer in her arms.

The balcony was only good for short visits. Even though they helped Russel suspend himself at a certain floor level, it wasn't very stable for him to just sit on. So held on tight to the laptop with one arm and climbed aboard Russel with the other, and he made his way back up to the roof, where they could both discuss what Noodle had found in peace.

"In the past twenty-nine hours, I've studied Satanism," she said. There was a note of nervousness in her voice, like she was trying to decide how to break terrible, terrible news.

"What have you found out?" he asked, hoping it wasn't what he thought it was.

Noodle closed her eyes and took a deep, calming breath.

"There is no way to sell your soul to Satan."

Russel blinked. He certainly wasn't expecting _that_. He stared down into the driveway at Stylo, giving his brain time to absorb Noodle's words. The silence stretched on until it was clear he wasn't going to understand unless he heard more.

"I'm sorry but _what_?" was all he could say, turning back to face her, confused as all hell.

"It's bullshit," she said. Russel flinched at her mild curse. "All of it. The Satanic rituals, selling your soul to the Devil. It's not possible. Even the Church of Satan says that all that is only hype created by movies and Christianity to scare people away from Satanism. There's no goat's blood or rituals or sacrifices. Or if there is, it's all stupid teenagers fooling around, or newbies thinking they can just trade in their soul for wealth and fame."

"Noodle..." said Russel, "What are you saying? That Murdoc never sold his soul in the first place?"

"It's not that," she said, sounding frustrated, "Maybe he did. Maybe he found a way. There are some aspects to Satanism that _are_ real. Hell is a _real _place, Russel. I-" she paused, and when she spoke again, her voice sounded far away, haunted. "I should know... I've been there."

Russel had never asked her how she'd escaped from hell. He knew how it was to feel haunted by something terrible, even if his experience hadn't been as bad as Noodle's.

So he gently rubbed her back with the palm of his hand and sighed, letting the subject go.

"I think it's time you took a break from your research," he said. "Let's talk about something else."

Noodle gave the tiniest hint of a smile and nodded. They sat in silence as they thought of things to talk about. Suddenly, Russel thought of something.

"How do you think 2D's doing right now?" he asked with a hint of a smile.

Noodle couldn't help but let out a chuckle as the possibilities came to her, but when she realized he was probably in for a lot of pummeling, she felt bad for laughing.

"I just hope he's okay," she said.

Russel thought of how 2D had been the one to convince them there was something they could do. Even against reason and logic, 2D had insisted they not give up. It was then that Russel realized there may be a happy ending to Murdoc's story after all. 2D wouldn't _allow _Murdoc to die.

"'D knows what he's doing," Russel said with a new confidence. "He's probably the only one of us who Murdoc'll listen to. That boy might not be as smart as you, or tough as me, but he's got something we all seem to lack right now."

Noodle looked up at Russel. "What's that?"

Russel met Noodle's eyes and offered a kind smile.

"Hope."


	5. Chapter 5: The Unfunny Joke

**A/N:** Just a warning for this chapter, there's some mild swearing and a depiction of a scene containing child abuse that may either trigger or offend some people.

* * *

**Chapter 5: The Unfunny Joke**

_"You worthless piece of shit, look what you've done!" screams the father, striking him across the face with an angry, drunken, filthy hand. _

_He points at the spill in the carpet, another dark spot to add to their shoddy carpet's collection. He doesn't care about the stain, he's only taking the opportunity to bully his son._

_"Well?" asks the father expectantly, sneering down at him. "Are you just going to stand there like a ponce or are you gonna clean it up?"_

_"I'll clean it up, sir," says the boy, not yet half the father's size._

_The boy does not cry. He does not talk back. He does not make a fuss. He's been taught that these are signs of weakness, and he does not want to appear weak in front of his father._

_"Hurry, face-ache! It's ruining the carpet!"_

_As the boy runs off to the kitchen for a spare rag, he hears his father laughing. It is not a friendly laugh, like one the fake Santa at the mall does every year around Christmas. Nor is it a happy laugh, like the normal kids do in school. They play and make friends and never, _ever_ come to school with black eyes or bruises on their skin._

_His father's laugh is the laugh of evil. Nobody that ever once showed him a true smile had shown him their knuckles, coming straight for his face. _

_Only very, very bad men could ever laugh like his father._

_Before he returns to the living room to clean the spill, he makes a promise to himself. He chants it in his head so he'll never forget it._

_I will never be like him. I will never be like him. I will never, ever, _ever_ be like him._

* * *

Murdoc woke with a start, gasping and sitting up. His skin was covered with a layer of cold sweat, and there were still places on him that hurt, as if his father's beatings had followed him outside his nightmares.

He buried his face in a pillow and allowed the tiny, choked sob to escape him. He hadn't cried in years, and he wasn't going to let a nightmare break that record, but it was hard not to let _something_out after such a vivid replay of his worst memories.

He no longer found the darkness comforting. Instead, it seemed to swallow him whole. But slowly, inch by inch. It was as if the abyss of his bedroom was alive, and was taking it's time consuming him.

"I have to get out of here," he mumbled to himself.

He crawled out of his unseen bed and barely remembered to at least put on some trousers before opening the door to his room.

He nearly stepped on 2D.

"Gah!" he yelled, then clamped his hand over his mouth as he realized the singer was asleep. It took him a moment to recall what happened last night, and then he smiled wickedly.

He could do anything to the dullard. The possibilities were endless! He could splash a bucket of cold water on him! Or yell, "fire!" really loudly into his ear. He could rig a board with balloons taped to it behind 2D's head and try to pop them with knives.

... That last one might have been a bit too much.

2D stirred in his sleep, as if he agreed. His head drooped to one side, exposing his neck and a bit of his shoulder. Murdoc blinked in confusion at the bandages scattered randomly about 2D's skin. Glancing down the hallway to make sure no one else was awake to see him, he gently pushed the door open and squeezed out of his bedroom. He carefully knelt beside 2D and gently pushed his shirt collar out of the way to check the area more closely.

Along with the bandages, the usually pale flesh was speckled with irritation marks, half-healed scratches and nicks. It almost looked like he'd gotten into a bar fight, and some idiot had smashed him with a bottle-

_Oh. _Right.

_I will never be like him. I will never be like him. I will never, ever,_ ever _be like him..._

Murdoc snatched his hand away from 2D, falling backwards onto his bum and scooting a safer distance away from him. He was the idiot that had smashed him with a bottle. He'd done that to his singer, to his frie-

His frie-

Satan, his _friend_! 2D was his _friend_, as much as Murdoc hated to admit it. He'd never say that out loud, of course. He still had his bloody _dignity_, after all.

_But friends aren't supposed to throw glass bottles at each other,_ he pointed out. _At least, I'm pretty sure they're not..._

It was quiet again in the hallway. It still seemed to be night outside, or a very early morning, depending on how you look at it.

2D looked very peaceful in sleep. His mouth was gaping open and very soft, delicate snoring noises were coming from the back of his throat. His eyes were, of course, shut, which was something Murdoc found himself surprisingly fascinated with. It had been a long time since he'd last seen them closed, as the singer usually had them open wide, absorbing the world around him.

When they were closed like this, Murdoc could almost imagine what 2D's eyes would look like if they weren't permanently fractured. _Brown,_ he thought. _They would be brown._

Yet another unforgivable thing he'd done. He'd taken Stuart's eyes.

Murdoc caught himself and stood, shaking his head at how sappy his thoughts had turned. He used to be so iconic, so great at being mean, that now any thoughts that _weren't _mean made him feel out of his sorts.

He moved to pass the sleeping 2D and head down to the kitchen, but a sudden memory made him pause mid-step.

_"I don't think you realize how important you are to us, Murdoc. We need you, and we're perfectly happy to admit it. All it's 'about time' for, is for you to admit you need us just as much."_

Murdoc didn't need them. Well, aside from their musical talents. But they weren't important to him, at least not in the way 2D meant. He didn't need _anyone _like that. As usual, the dullard was just jumping to conclusions.

Murdoc chuckled softly. _He_ needed _them_. What a joke! He was the great Murdoc Niccals, baby! He was the one who brought all these sodding idiots together in the first place. He'd written most of the music, and put up with their crazy pasts and given purpose to their lives. _Of course_ they needed him, but to say he needed any of _these _sorry dullards was pushing the boundaries of humor.

What a terrible joke.

He swallowed, staring down at the singer.

It wasn't a joke. It wasn't a joke at all.

With a low growl, Murdoc glanced down both ends of the hallway to make sure no one would see what he was about to do.

He knelt beside 2D again and scooped him into his arms. Making sure to be extra quiet, he made his way down the hall to 2D's room. Luckily, the door was cracked open, so he didn't need to struggle between 2D and the doorknob. He climbed the handful of steps that lead to the main part of the bedroom and gently placed 2D in bed.

Realizing what he'd just done, he turned quickly to leave and forget it even happened, but a soft noise startled him. He glanced back to see 2D stirring again, curling up against the cold air. Murdoc silently cursed himself and grabbed one of 2D's blankets, draping it over the shivering singer.

"You were right," he whispered, his voice so faint it could have been the wind. "I do need you guys. But if you think I'm going to admit it when you're awake, you've got another thing coming."

With that, he quietly exited the room and headed downstairs to go outside for a smoke. He wasn't going back to sleep now, so he might as well watch the sun rise. That wouldn't come for a while, though. It was, after all, a dark, quiet night outside. Or a very early morning, depending on how you look at it.

In bed, 2D curled up tighter around his new favorite blanket, smiling blissfully.

"We'll see about that, Muds," he whispered into nothing, and then sleep swallowed him whole.

* * *

**A/N:**Hey, so I thought I'd just let everyone know school's starting up again for me. Don't worry, I'm still going to update my stories, it just might be a bit slower than usual. I won't have the endless time I've had with Winter Break anymore.

Also, I have a lot planned for this story and I love writing it. I hope that shows... It would really help me out if you could take the time to review this story. Nothing long or special, just an acknowledgement that someone out there appreciates my effort to entertain them. And a huge, huge thank you to the people who already have reviewed it. You guys rock. Seriously.

Much love, Kenna~


	6. Chapter 6: Sunrise and the Gust

**Chapter 6: Sunrise and the Gust**

Murdoc opened the front door and walked out into the brisk chill of the early morning. Only this time he was sure it was morning, because the sky had turned a dull shade of blueish-grey.

His breath came out like smoke, curling upward and reaching for the stars. Murdoc gave a contented sigh. He hadn't seen the sunrise since he was a kid. It felt exactly the same as back then; No cars, no people, no problems. Just you and the world, linked together for this one moment when the sun actually broke the horizon. That's when you realize both how small you really are, and just how big you could be.

Only now, if he was discovered staying up all night just to watch the sun rise, he wouldn't be beaten half to death. He might get a few strange looks, but really, his days were numbered. He couldn't spend his time worrying about what people thought of him. He'd been doing that far too long.

An orange glow was beginning to rise up from underneath the distant horizon, and Murdoc cursed the many buildings and trees obstructing his view. If he wanted to see the sun rise clearly, he'd have to go to the roof. That's where Russel was.

He had to stop and think for a second. Did he really want to sacrifice a bit of dignity to see the bloody _sun_pop up over a stupid line?

"... Russel!" he hissed into the night. It was still too dark to see much of anything, but he looked up toward the roof anyways.

After a moment, Russel's head popped up over the edge and his white, sleepy eyes found Murdoc in the driveway below.

"Muds?" he questioned, rubbing his eyes and squinting down skeptically. "What are you doin' awake? Don't you get up at like, three PM?"

"I..." he paused, unsure of how to ask this favor without either sounding like a complete arse or a soft twit. "I need to get to the roof."

Russel raised an eyebrow. "Why's that?"

_You could snap at him,_ he told himself. _You could insult him, tell him to piss off. He would expect that. He wouldn't be surprised._

_But then you'll miss the sunrise. What if it's the last one you live to see?_

Murdoc took a deep breath. He would have to do exactly what he'd just promised a sleeping 2D that he'd never do. He would have to give in to a part of himself he'd denied for so long. He would have to show some _need_.

"I want to watch the sunrise," he said. With a careful glare up at Russel, he dared the drummer to laugh at him. Or smirk, or mock him, or react in _any_way that wasn't-

"Okay."

Murdoc blinked, momentarily stunned at the response. Russel carefully made his way down the side of the building, careful to avoid Noodle or 2D's bedroom so he wouldn't wake them. When he was just a few feet off the ground he hoped down, landing in front of Murdoc. Without laughing, or smiling, or making fun, he extended his arm and gestured for Murdoc to climb aboard.

After a brief hesitation, Murdoc stepped onto the massive drummer's hand, which was just big enough to stand on. Russel raised his arm, depositing the bassist on his shoulder so his hands would be free to climb.

As Murdoc clung awkwardly to Russel's massive shoulder, he found he still couldn't process why the drummer had so easily accepted his request. Murdoc had insulted him constantly for years, but for some reason, just when Murdoc _finally_ showed some vulnerability, Russel hadn't jumped on the chance to tease him. To someone like Murdoc, who jumped on the chance to tease _anyone_, regardless if they were mean to him or not, this made no sense.

Russel reached the rooftop and sat down on the roof, his feet dangling off the edge. He reached up to grab Murdoc and set him down on the roof beside him.

The view up here was perfect. The distant horizon was clear, trees and buildings no longer in the way. The sky was ablaze with orange light, and though Murdoc would never say it out loud, it warmed him to his very soul.

He liked to think at least he was contaminating it with a bit of goodness before Satan stole it from him forever. When he was trapped in Hell, he would look back on this sunrise and relish in the purity it would feed his lonely soul.

"What're you thinking about?" Russel asked.

Without looking away from the rising sun, Murdoc answered. For the first time in a long, long time, he said the first thing that came to his mind, without worrying about how it would sound coming from him.

"Defiance."

Russel looked away from the sky and down to Murdoc's profile. The bassist looked very concentrated, like he was preserving the moment. It was not a look a condemned man usually wears.

_2D's doing his job well,_ thought Russel. _Murdoc ain't going nowhere, even if he doesn't know it yet._

As if the world itself was responding to his thoughts, the sun chose that moment to break the horizon. The sky erupted with liquid gold, all in complete silence, and somehow, this was all the affirmation Russel needed.

* * *

"Our plan seems to be working," said the guitarist.

Noodle and 2D were gathered in the kitchen (Russel, of course, was standing once again in the driveway outside, his head and shoulders leaning in from the window). They were having a meeting, comparing notes about their progress. Murdoc had gone to bed an hour ago, which said something about how late it was, since his bedtime was around three AM.

"I don't wan' to say 'I told you so,' but..." 2D said with a confident smile.

Russel chuckled and Noodle smiled.

"I know, Toochi," she said, "You did."

"Man, if it weren't for you, who knows what could'a happened to Murdoc by now," said Russel, "I mean, you should'a _seen _his face. He might not be aware of it himself, but he's already starting to fight back again. He just needs one more push and he'll be on our side, I'm sure of it."

"And that's something we could definitely use," Noodle added, "We need his cooperation if we want to help him. He has something we need. Information on exactly how he managed to sell his soul. If we know just what he did, we're more likely to find a solution on how to undo it."

"He didn't tell you before?" asked Russel. "When you asked him the first time?"

"The only thing he actually told me was that he _did _it," Noodle said, "And that the process involved a contract signed in his blood. It's too vague. We're stuck here until he gives us more details. Which I've tried, by the way. I've already tried asking him again, but he just keeps saying it's a hopeless cause."

"Then we need to give him that extra push," said Russel. Both him and Noodle turned to look at 2D, who should have been sitting at the table. Only, he wasn't. He was in the living room, standing by a window, having a staring contest with something outside.

"'D?" Russel asked gently.

"Something's coming,"said 2D. His eyes never moved from the thing outside.

Noodle and Russel exchanged a worried glance.

"Toochi...?" Noodle ventured, but she was cut short by startled yelp. Russel carefully withdrew himself from the kitchen window, and a blast of cold air howled through the opening.

"It's freezing!" Russel yelled above the sudden gust. The trees along the streets swayed frantically against the gale. A few branches broke loose and became dangerous projectiles.

"Russel, get behind the house!" she cried, watching in horror as her massive friend dodged a branch half as big as his arm. He somehow heard her above the roar of the unnatural wind and dove for cover.

With great difficulty, Noodle managed to close the kitchen window, locking it in place. She spun around to look at 2D, who was wringing his hands together fearfully, staring at her with worried eyes.

"It's come for Murdoc," he said, and bolted for the bassist's bedroom.

* * *

**A/N:** So sorry for the wait, guys. This fic isn't on hiatus or anything, it just might take a little while to update sometimes. Also, I'm not too proud of this chapter. It feels short, and confusing, and I'm really sorry if this is the case. DX Don't be afraid to review, guys!


	7. Chapter 7: Somebody Save Me

**Chapter 7: Somebody Save Me**

"2D, wait!" cried Noodle, running after the singer.

She had no idea what was going on. One minute they were talking about how great their plan was going, and the next Russel was being blown away by an almost unnaturally powerful wind storm.

"He's in trouble!" was all 2D replied, flying up the stairs. Noodle followed closely behind, hoping the singer was wrong.

They reached the landing and turned down the hall towards Murdoc's room. 2D grabbed the doorknob, but as soon as he touched it he yanked his hand away, giving a surprised yelp.

"What happened?" asked Noodle.

"It burned me," 2D answered, frowning down at his sore hand. Noodle glanced at the doorknob. The metal was glowing a bright red.

2D bit his lip hard and made a pained noise that Noodle could only compare to a dog whining to be let back into the house on a cold night. Ignoring the pain in his burnt palm, 2D rushed at the door, trying to take it out with his shoulder. For all his effort, he didn't make so much as a pathetic scratch on Murdoc's door. He was too small to do much damage, even when he threw himself frantically against it.

"Toochi, stop," she said gently, grabbing his arm worriedly before he could try it again. His eyes were glued to the wall, and he fought against her until she took his face in her hands and forced him to look at her. "Tell me what's going on."

"I saw it!" whispered the singer, glancing all around them fearfully. "The Boogieman! It's come for Murdoc! It's going to take 'im, Noodle!"

Noodle let go of his arm and took a slow step back. She stared up at him, but her head was shaking slightly, her eyebrows knit in denial. When she spoke, 2D could have sworn she was ten years old.

"Now?"

The question was rhetorical; it required no answer. But even if she expected one, 2D wouldn't have been able to deliver. He was biting his lip so hard that specs of blood were beading where his teeth punctured the skin. His dark eyes were glistening with unshed tears. He was wringing his hands together like he did every time he got nervous or scared.

He looked positively miserable, and Noodle wasn't having any of it.

"Move, 2D," she said, not harshly but firmly, gently pushing him out of the way.

She lined herself up with Murdoc's door and crouched into a stance. She took a deep, concentrated breath, closing her eyes. Then, with a _kiai _that came from her very soul, she leaped into the air and let out a kick that could have taken out Russel. The door flew off it's hinges, disappearing into the room.

As soon as the door was gone, the hallway came alive with a blast of cold air. Noodle and 2D were blown clean off their feet, the strong gust hurling them down the hall. 2D managed to grab hold of a knob on one of the doors, but Noodle wasn't quick enough. With a scream and a sickening thud, she was slammed into a wall. She went limp, and slid to the floor, hair tangling madly in the continuous gale.

"Noodle!" 2D screamed, fearing the worst. His heart seized up and his eyes finally released the tears he'd been holding back. They danced on the wind and flew away. He sobbed into a hand, unable to tear his gaze away from her. She was unresponsive, not stirring once as he continued to call her name.

The wind slowly ebbed, and 2D let go of the doorknob he'd grabbed onto. He rushed to the girl's side and pulled her into his arms. He fretted over her, sobbing and whispering her name, but nothing he did would wake her.

_Calm down,_ he told himself. _You can't 'elp 'er if you're a mess yourself._

After a moment he was able to stop the racking sobs that made him shake and the constant flow of tears that blurred his vision. He bit his lip and gently brushed the hair from Noodle's face. Her eyes were shut, her mouth slightly ajar. She didn't look like she was sleeping. She looked dead.

Giving a small whine, 2D reached for her neck and checked for a pulse. That's what you're supposed to do, right? Check their pulse?

_Bump, bump, bump..._

_Heartbeat. Pulse. Alive._

2D let out a huge sigh of relief and set her down against the wall. He felt bad just leaving her there, but it couldn't hurt. 2D had been in the hospital more times than he could count for head injuries, and one main theme he'd picked up on was not to jostle the person around.

Besides, there was still someone else to take care of. Someone who might _actually _die if he didn't hurry.

2D stood and turned to face Murdoc's bedroom. His door was gone, and he could see nothing but pure darkness inside the room. With a gulp, 2D carefully walked back down the hallway towards it.

"Muds?" he whispered.

He was shivering with fear. Still, he pressed forward. He had let his fear stop him from doing many things in his life. He refused to add letting Murdoc die to the list.

He reached the door and peered inside.

He'd never seen the inside of Murdoc's bedroom before, so this darkness was new to him. The bassist was very territorial, and took his personal space very seriously. 2D hesitated at the threshold, but decided that if Murdoc's life was in danger, he'd risk a hundred beatings to save him.

He stepped into the room, and was engulfed by the darkness. He could... _feel_ it. It was almost greasy, and it clung to him. It was the feeling of grime on your skin when you hadn't showered in a while, without the smell. Like walking through dense fog. _Damp._

"Murdoc?" He squinted, trying to make something, anything out in this unnatural abyss of gloom. He held his hand up to his face, and gasped.

His hand was _glowing_.

Not just his hand, but his whole arm. No, _both _his arms! His legs, too. His whole body seemed to be emitting a dull, but visible light.

He waved his arms in front of him, shedding light on the floor before him. He appeared to be at the top of a very tall staircase. At least, that's what 2D assumed, since he was only able to see so much. He called Murdoc's name again and heard his voice echo.

He bit his lip and his eyebrows furrowed. _Come on, scaredy-cat, you can do this._

He took a deep breath and stepped forward.

* * *

Murdoc wasn't feeling so great.

He sat in his bedroom, cloaked in darkness, bitterly awaiting his end. He knew his time was up. The Boogieman had been following him for days now. He'd pretended not to notice the mysterious creature lurking behind buildings as he walked by, or squeezed into his closet. He'd even ignored the thing when it had gathered the audacity to just perch on their living room couch, reading a newspaper.

He'd shooed it off before anyone could see, but he knew it'd be back. It always came back, like a stubborn cancer, and he'd been putting its consumption off for far too long.

It was time to give in. He hoped, at the very least, that when he died, someone new would be born into this world who would give instead of take, who would find love and make friends and would contribute to the greater good. _An exchange,_ he thought, _of filth with light. This world could use more light._

So when the Boogieman appeared before him once again, its dark cloak swirling at the ends like smoke, its eyes bright red but calm, its silence so loud it was almost painful, Murdoc had only one thing left to say.

"Will it hurt?"

The creature did not answer. It only pulled its cloak open to reveal a thick glass bottle clasped within its other clawed hand. With a soft pop, the demon messenger pulled out the cork stopper at the bottle's opening. He slowly glided closer to Murdoc.

Murdoc clenched his jaw, eyeing the bottle wearily. The Boogieman stood before him, the open bottle extended towards Murdoc's chest.

And then, to Murdoc's surprise, it spoke. Its voice was hoarse, and dry as a desert of salt.

**_"Absolutely."_**

First, there was pain. Not a physical pain, like being cut open with a knife. Nor was it a mental pain, like realizing just how much people hate you. It was a new kind of pain, foreign. His loves, his hates, his secrets, his little kinks that made him Murdoc, was being ripped from its home and taken to a cold, tiny, cruel place. And he could feel every second of it.

For the first time in years, Murdoc wept.

* * *

**A/N:**I didn't write "Save Me" by Remy Zero, whose song randomly popped into my head when I was writing this and gave this chapter its name.

As always, don't be afraid to leave reviews!


	8. Chapter 8: Another Glass Bottle

**Chapter 8: Another Glass Bottle**

Murdoc's room was horrifying.

Not only was the entire room pitch black (except for the weird glow emanating from 2D's body), but it echoed with distant, eerie sounds. Water dripped, footsteps scampered, and worst of all: somewhere, someone was crying.

What was even more horrifying was that 2D had gotten used to it.

This place reminded him of the horror films he liked to watch. Maybe not the zombie ones, but just the creepy atmosphere surrounding the place. It was hard to be scared when you'd seen it all before, even if now it was actually real.

Besides, it wasn't fear that was slowly consuming him. It was sadness. He knew, without really knowing, what all of this was.

This place belonged to Murdoc, and everything in it, from the darkness to the distant cries of sorrow and fear, belonged to him as well. The darkness within Murdoc's soul was so potent, so pure, that it had manifested itself into this living, breathing nightmare of a place.

This was Murdoc's personal hell.

And 2D, with his head filled with nothing but life and love, regardless of intelligence, was so pure against this sorrow-filled filth, that he literally _glowed_ in its presence.

It made 2D want to cry. All of this surrounding him, the horror and the pain, was within Murdoc. This was what Murdoc dealt with on a daily basis, this was what he slept in, drank in, wallowed in. This was all he saw in life. Not the smiles, the laughter, the friendship. He only saw the loneliness, the fear, and the pain.

Suddenly, there was a sharp pain in 2D's chest, and he cried out, doubling over. He clutched the area over his heart, looking down at it as if he could see the cause. The glow emanating from him (which he'd affectionately named Glowy) seemed to dim, twitching in and out like a dying light bulb. No! It couldn't go now! How else would he make his way down these stairs? How would he save Murdoc if he couldn't even see? This darkness was not playing fair, he didn't know there was a time limit to his Glowy.

Just then, 2D noticed an evil, red glow slowly growing brighter. It was before him, down a hallway that had suddenly appeared. The glow seemed to come from around the corner. The pain in his chest ebbed, but his own light faded out.

It was inviting him in.

Suddenly, a blood-chilling scream came from around the hall, right where the glow was coming from. It sounded like Murdoc.

2D sprinted down the hallway, slipping a bit on the stone floor as he rounded the corner.

He skidded to a halt, gasping at the scene before him.

Murdoc was on his knees, knelt before the Boogieman. The creature held a thick glass bottle in its hands. Most jarring of all was what it was doing with it.

A small stream of what looked like liquid fire was pouring out from the center of Murdoc's chest. A bright orange stream that illuminated the chamber, reflecting in everyone's eyes. Slowly, agonizingly, it was seeping out from him, and into the glass bottle. It didn't take long for 2D to put two and two together.

Something within him found the courage to speak.

"Stop." It came out quietly at first, very small and meek. Then, with a sudden ferocity, he nearly screamed. "_Stop it!_"

The Boogieman snapped its attention toward 2D. A strange, sudden warmth spread through 2D's veins, like a sip of delicious hot chocolate. Suddenly the Boogieman raised its clawed arm in defense, as if it were being blinded by the sun. Realization hit 2D, and he glanced down at his front. Sure enough, he was glowing again. Glowy was back!

"You 'eard me!" he said, his voice shaking but his confidence slowly growing, "Get back! Go away! We don't want you 'ere!"

He took a step closer, and the creature took a step back. 2D let a small, confident smile grow on his face. He could feel the power he had over this creature. For some reason, it feared Glowy. 2D wasn't about to question why it worked. It just did.

He slowly came to stand protectively in front of Murdoc.

"You, er," he said, still unsure how to go about banishing a demon, "Go, now! Shoo! Leave! Er, please?"

The Boogieman hesitated, and 2D panicked.

"Now!" he yelled.

The creature burst into a dense cloud of black smoke. The glass bottle remained, falling to the floor and rolling over towards 2D. Thankfully, it didn't break. With a final noise that sounded like a hiss, the Boogieman was reduced to nothing more than a dark shadow. It slithered out of the room like a snake, leaving nothing behind.

2D scooped the bottle up from the floor. Despite the way it looked like liquid, none of Murdoc's... _soul_ had spilled. Instead it seemed to cling to the sides of the glass, desperate for something to hold onto.

So fast. Everything had happened so fast. What did any of this sudden, crazy magical shit mean? Was he really holding Murdoc's soul in his arms? Was he too late to save him?

He set the glass down carefully beside Murdoc and knelt to his level, taking his friends face in his hands.

"Muds?" he whispered hopefully, his voice cracking. "Y-you goin' t'be alright, mate?"

Slowly, Murdoc lifted his head. He was weak. He shook with the effort to move. He looked 2D directly in the eyes.

Emptiness was all 2D saw.

Staring, staring, staring. Useless. Blank. So hopelessly, utterly blank, that tears began to sting the singer's eyes. Had he really been too late?

"N-no," he breathed, "No, no, you can't be gone. You can't be. I came all this way... I-I walked through all that..."

Murdoc just blinked, staring, staring, staring... Where those tear stains on his cheeks? 2D had never, ever seen Murdoc cry. Just the thought was upsetting him. If Murdoc, who woke up every day to the darkness he'd just witnessed, had been _crying_...

2D bit his lip and looked away, trying to avoid the empty stare in Murdoc's eyes. He was alive, breathing, but nothing was there. He couldn't see him anymore.

"You can't go," said 2D, biting his lip. "You can't leave us..."

Silence. Absolute silence. It was killing him.

"I-I never told you this," 2D continued, letting a few tears fall. He had to say something. He couldn't just sit here in the silence. "I've always considered you my best friend. Even if you din't ever think so... Always helping me along. An'... An' sometimes, I really think... Murdoc, I really think you were the one who... gave us a place in this world..."

Then, 2D did something he had never once done in his entire life. He hugged Murdoc, burying his face against his friend's chest.

"Please..." he whispered. He'd give anything to have Murdoc wake up from this mind-numbed state and punch him in the face right now. Anything, anything to bring him back.

"It can't be over. It can't be. I _know_ it isn't. Please, come home..."

Slowly, the room began to shift. The darkness slowly fell away, revealing bright red walls, a red carpet, and a red and gold bed with a luxurious frame. 2D watched in awe as the room (that, just a minute ago, had seemed like an endless dungeon, filled with suffering and chaos) to a normal-looking bedroom. Well, one without a functional door...

Within seconds the stairs were gone, and all traces of darkness had faded.

There was even a window.

"I leave you for a _second_ and you get all emotional on me..."

2D gasped and glanced back at Murdoc. His body hadn't moved, and his eyes were still blank and unfeeling.

"Wha-?" 2D began, but he was interrupted.

"Down here, dullard," growled Murdoc's voice. 2D spun around and scanned the room. No one was there. Had Murdoc shrunk or something? He scanned the carpet, even checked under the bed, but all he saw was the glass bottle, still glowing with Murdoc's soul...

Oh. _Ohh._

He approached the object carefully, feeling very stupid. _No_ way. It couldn't be... could it?

He gently picked up the jar and held it up closer to his face. Inside, the fire-like substance was a lot less like liquid and more like, well, fire. It looked like a little floating campfire was trapped inside the bottle. It even had flames like real fires, that swayed when he moved the glass back and forth.

He swallowed. Well, if he was wrong he was wrong. Right?

"_Murdoc?_" he tried.

"Yes, you bloomin' idiot!" cried the fire, scaring 2D so bad he almost dropped the thing. He fumbled with it until he had a firm grip again, clutching it in his trembling hands.

"You..." 2D mumbled, disbelieving. "You're... _fire_."

"Well not _real_ fire, obviously," said Murdoc. "But something like it, I suppose. Now listen, I know you're weak as a twig, but do you think you could put my body on the bed or something?"

2D glanced at the lifeless Murdoc, still breathing and blinking, all organs properly functioning. Then he looked back down at the Murdoc in his hands.

He paused for a moment, eye twitching as he tried to process what was going on.

Then, "I don't get it."

"For the love of... It's _me_, Murdoc!" cried the fire, "But... It's also _not_ me... as well... Look, just bring Noodle in here or something. She's got the brains to figure this out."

Noodle! He'd left her in the hallway. Was she alright? He hugged the Murdoc-fire-jar-thingy to his chest and picked himself up off the ground.

"Hey, hey!" cried Murdoc, "Don't just leave my body there! It may not be conscious anymore but it could wander off outside or something! Hey, are you listening?"

Noodle was exactly where he'd left her. 2D rushed to her side and bit his lip. Was it supposed to take this long for people to wake up?

"Is-is that Noodle?" said Murdoc. "What happened? What'd you do to her?"

"Me?" cried 2D, "That stupid Boogieman creature blasted her into the wall. She hit her head and back pretty hard."

"Take her to her room," said Murdoc. "She needs a proper bed."

2D nodded, scooping the girl into his arms gently. He probably wouldn't be able to lift Murdoc's body alone, but Noodle was a different story. He carried her down the hall and gently laid her down on her bed, pulling the covers over her for good measure.

_Please be alright,_ he thought, looking down at her worriedly.

_I can't lose any of you..._

* * *

**A/N:** Thanks to morethanjustausername for her review! Hope you enjoyed. You can tell me if you want, ya know. :)


	9. Chapter 9: The Mask

**A/N:** Ugh, this is so overdue it's not even funny. School's been kicking my butt, guys. I hope you'll all appreciate this chapter.

* * *

**Chapter 9: The Mask**

The four Gorillaz had seen better days. Russel was too big to fit indoors, 2D was exhausted, Noodle was unconscious, and Murdoc was trapped in a jar.

"So," said Murdoc grimly, "It's come to this."

Russel rolled his eyes. "Can you stop bein' so dramatic, man?"

"Oh _sure_," said Murdoc, voice practically oozing with sarcasm, "There's absolutely _no_ reason to get so upset. It's not like my _soul's_ been extracted and I've been reduced to a talking _jar_. Oh, wait."

Russel heaved a sigh and leaned his head against the wall with a dull thud. In his haste to get to Noodle, he'd managed to get himself stuck in her sliding glass window. He'd underestimated his own size. He thought he'd fit indoors, and it was true he'd been getting increasingly smaller, but apparently he wasn't yet small enough to actually get through the frame.

"Just wait 'til Noodle wakes up," he said, "She'll know what to do about your... _condition_."

"Oh she will, will she?" said Murdoc. "That's reassuring to hear."

Russel and 2D exchanged a glance.

"What do you know," Russel said slowly, "That you ain't tellin' us?"

"I know that if one of you idiots doesn't take care of my body while I'm gone, it'll die without me, and I'll be stuck in this jar for all eternity," said Murdoc. "I know that if I truly wanted to, and if my body was close enough, I could just pop right back in there. But that's not going to happen."

2D stood from his seat by Noodle's bed.

"And why not?" he asked, sounding frustrated.

"Maybe I don't want to go back."

It was quiet for a moment, until the silence became too loud.

"That's bullshit," said 2D, walking over to the jar.

"Is not," said Murdoc, "I don't want to go back there so I can cause this world more harm. I'm no good to anyone. Everything I've done was for personal gain. Not once have I ever helped someone without expecting something in return. The world doesn't need beasts like me. I admire your optimism, but it will do nothing to save me. "

A long time ago, back when he still had dark hair and brown eyes, Stuart Pot brought a kitten home. It had been run over, and was flattened in the middle. But still it mewed, and though it tried weakly to bite his hand when he tried to pick it up, he couldn't leave it there. Alone, dying, in pain.

It died almost as soon as he entered the house, right there in his arms. His mum was outraged that he'd even touched it, and ordered him to dispose of the corpse and scrub his hands with hot water and soap. His father, however, saw the look on his son's face, and had taken him gently to their backyard. Together they dug a grave for the kitten and said some prayers.

After it was done, his father knelt on one knee and placed a hand on his son's shoulder. He said one thing, one thing that would stay with Stuart Pot for the rest of his life.

"You can't save someone that doesn't want to be saved."

"I can," said 2D, tears streaming down his face as he gathered Murdoc's soul into his arms. "And I will."

"'D?" Russel asked cautiously. "Where you goin'?"

2D ignored Russel and walked out of the room, down the hall, and into Murdoc's bedroom. The soulless body of his friend was still slumped over, staring like a child, wondering what to do.

"It's alright," said 2D as he came closer, though he wasn't sure it would do any good. "I won't hurt you."

He set the jar on the bedside table and knelt beside the body, unsure of how to proceed. He wasn't the strongest man alive, so this wasn't going to be easy.

"What are you doing?" asked Murdoc's soul.

2D ignored him and stepped around his body, reaching down and grabbing his friend under the arms. He took a deep breath and then heaved with all his might, lifting the man about a foot off the ground until he ran out of strength, and collapsed onto the floor.

"You should be in the Olympics," Murdoc sneered, flickering like a flame. "Your skills are impeccable."

"Shut it," 2D growled, picking himself up and going for a second try. "You should eat less."

"How dare you!" cried Murdoc, though he sounded slightly amused. "My body is in top physical condition, unlike yours. You're skinny as a bone!"

"Better to be skinny than plump," 2D retorted, a smile growing on his face. "You're like a proper Christmas pig!"

"When I get out of here-"

"You'll what?" 2D asked automatically, smirking. "So now you _want_ to be back in your body. Well you know what to do, then."

Murdoc was shocked into silence. 2D had been egging him on! He'd been teasing him just so Murdoc would have the motive to go back into his body and smack him upside his head! Since when had 2D gotten so clever?

"Why do you want me to go back so badly?" he asked. "Why do you even care?"

"Why shouldn't I?" 2D responded. "You're my friend, my band mate. I ain't just gonna leave you to rot."

"I've destroyed you," Murdoc muttered. He sounded so suddenly fragile that 2D paused and turned around. Weakness was not a particular trait of Murdoc Niccals. "I took your eyes, used your voice, scarred your skin. I'm not worthy of that body. I don't belong there anymore."

"You keep saying that," said 2D, bending down and looking in on the fire behind the glass, "But you haven't even asked us how we feel about it. You've done some bad things, Murdoc, I don't deny that. But I think, even if it's deep down, you're not a bad man. You're stubborn, and mean, and often times selfish. But there's more to you than that, we both know it."

"And what if there isn't?" asked Murdoc. "What if I really am just a sly old coward who eats, pisses, and drinks and doesn't give a damn about any of you?"

2D smiled and stood up, going back to work on Murdoc's body.

"We wouldn't be havin' this conversation if any of that were true."

"I hate you," said Murdoc. "I hate you all-"

"I'm _sure_ you do," said 2D with a smirk. He wrapped his arms around Murdoc's torso from behind.

"Noodle with her arrogant smart-ass persona. Russel, the fat lard. And _especially_ you."

"_Really_?" 2D continued, smiling as he heaved upwards.

"The only redeeming quality you possess is your voice. If not for that I would have abandoned you a long time ago, dumped you on the side of the road in some desert and just drove away."

"Is that so?" said 2D. He pulled Murdoc's body up against his and managed to get him mostly onto the bed.

"I've only put up with you for your _stupid_ vocals for my _stupid_ band-"

"Of _course_."

"I _despise_ your hoofter-blue hair and your tall, lanky appearance and-"

"Is there more?" 2D interrupted. "Because I'm almost done here."

"Fuck it all, were you even _listening_?" Murdoc yelled, his flames flickering as if someone had blown on them.

"Me?" asked 2D innocently. "No, I must admit I wasn't. But it was quiet amusing either way."

"You motherfucking-"

"How long are you going to wear that mask?" 2D interrupted. "How long are you going to pretend to be someone you're not? Because in case you haven't noticed, we've run out of time. We can't afford to mess around anymore. Either you man up and admit you need help or I'll find some way to force you."

There was a pause.

"It took you this long?" Murdoc asked quietly. "All these years, and only when I was reduced to a talking jar did you ever muster up the courage to stand up to me..."

"I'm doing it now because I have to," 2D stated. "I'd take a thousand punches if it meant you stayed with us. You _do_ belong here, Murdoc. If you haven't noticed, everyone in this house has problems. But we also have each other. It's what keeps us from falling apart."

"So you're saying you need me?"

"Yes," 2D admitted without hesitation. "We need you, and you need us."

"Bollocks."

"Suit yourself," 2D said with a shrug. He turned back to Murdoc's body and adjusted him, pulling him up to rest his head on the pillow. Then he picked up the jar containing Murdoc's soul and smiled into it.

"W-what are you doing?" he asked.

"Saving you."

2D pulled the cork stopper off the jar and held it up over Murdoc's body. The flame inside flickered, seemingly clinging to the sides of the jar.

2D flipped the jar over and slammed it down onto Murdoc's chest.

* * *

Noodle's eyes opened, and she sat up with a gasp.

"Mira!" she cried, panting heavily and whipping her head back and forth wildly, taking in her surroundings.

"Mira?" asked Russel. Noodle gasped and locked eyes with her friend. Slowly, she was pulled from her memories, and into the present.

She was not in Hell anymore. That time was over and done.

With a cry she yanked the covers off and launched herself into Russel's arms, sobbing uncontrollably into his chest.

"Noodle?" Russel asked gently, wiggling to try to free himself from the window. One of his arms was free, though, so he hugged her close.

"I'm sorry," she sobbed, wiping her eyes on her pale wrist.

"Never," said Russel, "Don't ever be sorry for that."

With a final sniffle, she nodded.

"You don't want to talk about it," said Russel, "Do you?"

She bit her lip and looked down, shaking her head no.

"Alright," he said, hugging her once more. "I... don't want to seem heartless here, but uh... I'm kinda stuck."

Noodle made a confused face and looked down at the rest of her giant friend. He was caught in the sliding window at his chest. Only his head, shoulders, and one arm were inside. The rest of him was trapped outdoors, exposed to the elements.

She couldn't help a small giggle at the sight, but Russel wasn't offended. It was good to see her smiling again.

It took Noodle half an hour (and a fair amount of butter, brought in from the kitchen) to free her friend, and another ten minutes or so to ease him indoors. By the time she was done, both of them were out of breath, panting as they lay on the floor, exhausted.

Realization dawned on Noodle first. She slowly picked herself up and looked over at Russel, who was mumbling something about going on a diet. But he was there, all the same. Laying on her carpet. Right in front of her.

"Russel," she said slowly, cautiously, as if raising her voice too loud might undo the miracle she was seeing.

"Mm?" he said, raising his head to look at her.

"You're _inside _the house."


	10. Chapter 10: Problem With The Googles

**A/N:** Again, a very special thanks to morethanjustausername and someone called Guest who also leaves beautiful reviews. Thank you both, I can honestly say it's because of you that this story is still being written.

* * *

**Chapter 10: Problem With The Googles**

2D gave himself five seconds. Then he forced himself to open his eyes.

He removed his trembling hand from the glass on Murdoc's chest. There was no more liquid fire. The jar was empty. He let out a massive sigh, relieved that his risky move had paid off. He still didn't know how he managed to think of just shoving the soul right back in. It had come to him at the last second, a vision he knew he had to make come true.

He glanced up at Murdoc's face, eager to see the light back in his eyes.

Murdoc was glaring at him with the force of a thousand Hells. Well, at least there was _some_ kind of light in his eyes...

"'E-ello..." 2D said nervously, waving and offering a slight smile. Murdoc narrowed his eyes and sat up. The jar rolled off of his chest and onto the bed, forgotten.

2D lost his smile as Murdoc stood from his bed, his hands clenched into angry fists. The singer tried to back away, but he tripped backwards over his own feet and landed on his arse. Murdoc loomed over him, his leg swinging back, winding up for a kick that would knock 2D's head into the next century.

2D shut his eyes and curled into a defensive position, bracing himself for impact.

But it never came.

2D peeked through his fingers just in time to see Murdoc fall to his knees in front of the him. He looked as defeated as he did yesterday, when his soul had just been ripped out of him.

"M-Mur-?" 2D was cut off by his own startled whimper. Murdoc had flung his arms around 2D, and was holding on tight.

There were no words. Not one. Instead, there was a silence that spoke louder than any words could, because it was filled with a gesture 2D was certain Murdoc had never sincerely performed before.

An embrace.

In it, 2D understood that Murdoc was saying everything he couldn't. Those unspoken 'sorry's and 'thank-you's and maybe even a few 'I'm-glad-you-saved-me's.

2D smiled and hugged his friend back, closing his eyes and enjoying the rare moment while it lasted.

After about five more seconds (Murdoc was counting, he didn't want to have to touch the dullard for _too_ long, did he?), they broke apart. The first thing Murdoc did was seize the little blue-haired idiot by the collar to get his attention.

"You tell _anyone_ about that and I'll-"

"I won't!" 2D reassured him, nodding.

Murdoc narrowed his eyes, scanning him. When he was satisfied, he gave a swift nod and quickly stood up. He extended a hand down to 2D before he could convince himself otherwise, pointedly staring at one of his walls to avoid eye contact. He waited, but 2D didn't take his offer.

Murdoc glanced down at the singer. 2D was staring at his hand like it was an octopus tentacle. Like it was one, out of place entirely and two, would probably try to attack him if he touched it. It almost made Murdoc smile, but he was able to swallow it back down.

"Idiot," Murdoc said with a sigh, leaning over to grab 2D's hand manually, then yanking him upright.

Noodle watched them from the hallway, concealed beneath the shadows. Maybe Russel was right about 2D. If he could pull a hug from the deepest confines of Murdoc's heart, he could probably do just about anything. Which was good, considering their ultimate goal was to defy Satan himself.

But there was still time for quiet moments like these. She smiled, and silently slipped away.

* * *

"Let me get this straight," said Noodle. "You were in a _jar_?"

The band were once again gathered in Noodle's room. Russel had managed to fit himself through her window frame, but he was still too big to squeeze through her bedroom door and into the rest of the house. For now, they'd decided to share the room. It was probably better that way anyways, if recent events had taught them anything about the dangers of their mission.

Murdoc let out an exasperated sigh. "For the tenth time, _yes_. The Boogieman stole my soul, 2D scared him off, and put me right back in. It's not that complicated!"

"A demon sent from Hell itself separated your soul from your body," said Noodle, narrowing her eyes, "Then, 2D, who wouldn't hurt a fly even if he was _capable_, was somehow able to get it back. And then he just shoved your soul right back into your body? How does _any_ of that make sense?"

"It doesn't have to!" cried Murdoc, "When has anything that's happened to anybody here _ever_ made sense?"

"The point is," Russel interjected before Noodle could respond, "We're all safe, for now. We just have to focus on keepin' it that way."

At this, Noodle and 2D both perked up. Murdoc noticed and glanced between them, narrowing his eyes suspiciously.

"What?" he asked bluntly.

"So you're in?" 2D asked quietly.

"In where?"

"In with us," Noodle answered. "You'll help us undo your contract and regain the rights to your soul?"

Murdoc looked uncomfortable. He shifted in his spot on the couch and looked at anything but the band members that were eyeing him carefully.

"It appears I don't have much of a _choice_, now do I?" he said, trying desperately to sound annoyed and ungrateful.

"You have every choice," said Noodle. "If you want to live, you'll have to help us."

"My choices are varied, I see," Murdoc growled sarcastically. "Live or die."

"You seemed willing enough to choose the latter not too long ago," Noodle carefully reminded him.

"What do you need my help for, anyways?" Murdoc snapped.

"We need to know how you did it," said Noodle, "How you managed to sell your soul."

"Why do you need to know that?"

"It'll help us get it back," said Noodle. "Permanently."

"And how would it do that?" Murdoc pressed, seemingly amused.

"Well," said Noodle, folding her arms and starting to pace, "If it was through a contract, we could hire a lawyer-"

"You're kidding, right?" said Murdoc. When Noodle stared at him, he threw back his head and exploding with laughter. "Did the dullard _not_ just tell you what happened to us while you were out? The Boogieman does not answer to lawyers and court hearings, I'm afraid. And neither does Satan."

"You sure?"

"Who's the Satanist here, love?" Murdoc said with a raised eyebrow and a smirk.

Noodle looked flustered, her carefully stored facts being shot down one by one.

"But if it's not through rituals and magick-"

"What makes you think it wasn't?" Murdoc asked.

"The internet-"

"The Internet," cried Murdoc, "Holy bastion of truth and compassion!"

"I was searching for three days!" cried Noodle desperately as Murdoc laughed, "I hardly slept or ate or even left my room. I found nothing! In fact, I found a few websites that explained those rituals were _not_ inherent aspects of Satanism and are complete fabrication! Lies made up for Hollywood!"

"You were looking up 'Satanic rituals' for three days?" asked Murdoc, in a state of wonder. "You poor soul..."

"What d'you mean, Muds?" asked Russel.

"All the girl likely found was the dirtiest kind of porn out there," Murdoc stated, "And all that other stuff about how Satanists don't _actually_ perform Magick. You think we really want some rotten _teenagers_ to simply use the Googles and happen upon our precious spells? I can assure you, girl, our secrets aren't online."

"So where are they?" asked Noodle. She sounded very tired, probably due to the fact that she'd just been told her three-day search had all been for nothing.

Murdoc sat back on the couch, resting one leg over the other and looking very relaxed. He smiled, and pointed to his head.

"In here, of course."

"Tell us, then," said Noodle, pulling up a chair and sitting before Murdoc. "How did you do it? How did you sell your soul?"

* * *

Within the deepest, hottest caverns of Hell, the Boogieman shivered.

**"You have failed me,"** said The Voice. There was speculation amongst Hell's demons on who or what The Voice was. Did it come from the flames, acting as Satan's sole representative? Or was it Satan Himself?

**"It had Light,"** the Boogieman explained, **"I could not touch it."**

**"Everything has a price,"** The Voice went on, ignoring the creature's pleas. **"You will know the price of failure."**

**"Will I... perish?"** asked the Boogieman.

**"No,"** answered The Voice. The creature sagged with relief, but The Voice went on. **"To perish here would be a reward."**

The Boogieman shuddered again, flames licking up its sides. This deep in Hell, the flames attack everything. After a while, a demon can become used to the sense of being burned alive.

**"Was I not created to gather souls?"** asked the Boogieman. **"How will they come to your possession if I do not bring them to you?"**

**"You will not perish,"** The Voice repeated, **"You will not End."**

The flames grew brighter for a moment, stinging the Boogieman's eyes.

**"But by the end of your payment, you will wish you had."**

* * *

**A/N:** I love reviews, drop a bit of reviews down here, mate.


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